Ductile bismuth alloy and a ductile wire formed therefrom



Patented Sept. 16, 1952 DUCTILE BISMUTH ALLOY AND A DUCTILE WIRE FORMED THEREFROM Irving E. Aske, Muskegon, and Karl W. Fitzpatrick, North Muskegon, Mich.

No Drawing. Application March 17, 1950, Serial No. 150,346

Claims. (01. 75-134) This invention relates to a ductile bismuth alloy and a ductile wire formed therefrom. The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a ductile alloy of bismuth and nickel and trace metals commonly present in bismuth rates as commercially pure which is ductile and has substantial tensile strength.

Second, to provide an alloy of bismuth and nickel which may be formed into a ductile wire retaining the electrical qualities ofbismuth and at the same time have such ductility that wire formed therefrom may be wound into small coils and the wire may be formed in very small diameters and at the same time possess strength and ductility permitting various uses and adaptations thereof. 7

Third, to provide a bismuth and nickel alloy which is easily worked and utilized for various purposes and having high electrical resistance.

The electrical resistance quality of bismuth Wire has long been recognized but it has not been adapted for many uses for the reason that it lacks any substantial degree of ductility and strength. The applicants alloy possesses the electrical qualities of bismuth, particularly its high electrical resistance and thermoelectric capacities and the characteristic of changing its electrical resistance when placed in a magnetic field. The applicant's alloy has such a ductility and tensile strength that it may be formed into very fine wire by extruding out, as well as being adapted for wire of larger diameters and for use in various other forms.

Our alloy, in its preferred form, consists of approximately 99.83% by weight of bismuth and approximately .16% by weight of nickel, and

trace metals approximating .01% by weight. The applicants have found that this alloy may be extruded into a fine ductile wire having very substantial tensile strength which enables its use in electrical devices of various types and its being 7 wound into small coils.

The applicants desirably use bismuth which is commercially rated as chemically pure. They consider the ideal percentage of nickel to this commercially rated chemically pure bismuth as being .l6%. This percentage is found to alloy very completely with the bismuth and without stratification. The percentage of nickel may, however, be varied with desirable results for certain uses from .1% vto 34%. Applicants have found that bismuth rated as commercially pure contains at leasttraces of other metals which it is mminsly not practical to eliminate, but in any event such traces or slight percentages do not objectionably afiect the applicants alloy.

Applicants have found that with 16% nickel the desired degree of ductility results and beyond that percentage it is applicants experience that ductility is reduced but strength or hardness increased. However, it is applicants experience that a substantially greater increase does not appear to be held in a solid solution in the bismuth and, as stated, with substantial increase in the percentage of nickel the ductility of the alloy is decreased and other properties impaired. Applicants desire to state that this alloy is not ductile in the same sense as certain other metals, for example copper, as it can not be shaped or deformed by pressure, such for example as squeezing a roundwire flat without fracturing. The wire may however be very materially stretched and bent without fracturing.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desir to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A ductile wire formed by extruding an alloy heated to plasticity, the alloy which consists of approximately 99.83% by weight of bismuth and approximately .16% by weight of nickel, the remaining percent being trace metals.

2. A ductile wire formed of an alloy consisting of bismuth and nickel in approximately the proportions by weight of 99.83% to 99% bismuth, .l% to 34% nickel with trace metals constituting the balance.

3. An alloy consisting of approximately 99.83% by weight of bismuth and approximately v.16% by weight of nickel and trace metals approximating .01 by weight.

4. An alloy consisting of bismuth and nickel in approximately the proportions by weight of 99.83% to 99% bismuth, .l% to 34% nickel with trace metals constituting the balance.

5. An alloy consisting essentially of nickel and bismuth, the weight of the nickel being of the order of .l% to 34% of the combined weight of the nickel and bismuth.

IRVING E. ASKE. KARL W. FITZPATRICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Der Aufbau der Zweistoiiiegierungen" by Han- 

4. AN ALLOY CONSISTING OF BISMULT AND NICKEL IN APPROXIMATELY THE PROPORTIONS BY WEIGHT OF 99.83% T 99% BISMUTH, .1% TO .34% NICKEL WITH TRACE METALS CONSTITUTING THE BALANCE. 